Pontypridd Town AFC

A thunderous drive from 20 yards by Player manager Allan Davies proved to be the winning goal in this all Welsh League Third Division Welsh Cup encounter.

Pontypridd travelled to Briton Ferry for this tie having overcome Risca Utd in the previous round by a 1-0 scoreline, with the rebuilt Pontypridd Town team starting to knit nicely after an unbeaten pre season run. With regular centre half Neil davies serving the last of his two match suspension Player Manager Davies decided to play himself at the centre of defence alongside debut maker David Penekitt.

The home side started the brighter and although pressed the Pontypridd goal failed to create any real chances and by the 15th minute Ponty had asserted their authority and were staring to play some very nice one touch football. Then in the 24th minute a cross from the Ferry left winger Lloyd twisted in the air deceiving Golton in the Pontypridd goal and the visitors found themselves a goal down.


Pontypridd soon put this setback behind them and started to create openings but no real chances of a goal but in the 40th minute a weak cross from the right by Waite deceived the Ferry defenders allowing Town's Buckmann time to get to the ball and direct his header into the bottom corner of the home sides goal to level the scores.

Half Time Score: 1-1

The second half saw Pontypridd assert their authority with chances created for Buckmann, Lewis and Trotman and it was Trotman especially who was creating havoc in the Ferry team with his mazy runs beating opponents seemingly at will. As the game went on both sides appeared tired with half chances appearing for either side and with neither the Ferry or the Town able to convert any of them the game went into extra time.

At the beginingof extra time a re-organisation of the back four was to be the catalyst which would lead to Ponty's winning goal. Town right back Richards had to go off with an injury. This meant that Allan Davies had to switch to right back with Richard Jago coming on at centre half and what an important period of extra time Jago was to have. The first period of extra time was played out in much the same fashion as normal time and as both teams changed around for the second period of extra time everyone in the ground were expecting the tie to go to penalties but it was not to be. In the 23rd minute of extra time Pontypridd won a corner on the right, as both teams filled the Ferry box Jason lewis got ready to take the corner when Davies screamed for the ball as he burst from his right back position, this movement caught everyone by surprise and by the time Briton Ferry realised what was happening Davies had hammered his shot into the net from 20 yards for what was to be the winning goal.

With just seven minutes to go to full time Ferry threw everything at the Pontypridd goal but with Town 'keeper Golton catching everything and substitute Jago making three timely interceptions, one in the final seconds of the match Pontypridd hung on for a deserved victory.

After the match Pontypridd strengthened their squad with the signing of Alyn Griffiths, who played for Bradford Park Avenue last year and ex Merthyr defender Matthew Driscoll.

Pontypridd Town entertained Gwent side Croesyceiliog from Division Two of the Welsh Football League and entertain was the right word to describe a match in which both sides stove to play neat attractive football.

With the playing surface in Ynysangharad Park looking as good as it has been for a number of years the fare served up by both sides complemented the playing area.

It was the visitors who went ahead first when, in the 10th minute, confusion at a corner saw Davies of Croesyceiliog, show signs of Hamburg's Uwe Seeler, and back head the ball into the net from some four yards out. The Town pressed hard for an equaliser and it came after 35 minutes when when Lewis Waite, who was to be a thorn in the visitors side all afternoon was put through by Trotman. Waite switched the play to Lewis whose cross eluded the vistors defence and looked to be going out for a goal kick only to drop onto the magical boot of Town forward Jago who tapped in from 6 inches.

Within five minutes the visitors were back in the lead when Crossley's shot from 15 yards beat James in the home goal for the half time score to be 2 - 1 to the Gwent men.

The second half was to be the Will Penekitt Show as his "Frank Lampard runs" from midfield started to cause Croesyceliog problems and it was two goals from Penekitt over a fifteen minute spell saw the Town set up for victory. It was not to be as in the 79th minute Croesyceiliog's Davies claimed his second of the match with a fine shot from ten yards. With just ten minutes remaining Town sent on young 'keeper shaun Llewellyn for his goalkeeping debut but bouyed by their equaliser the men from Gwent pressed for a winner. Then with seconds left on the clock Davies had a shot brilliantly saved by Llewellyn who then immeadiately threw his body in front of another goalbound effort from Croesy's Arbuthnott, thus earing the Town a satisfactory draw.

Manager Davies is pleased with the way his new side is performing and playing a far more attractive brand of football than last season. His side certainally appears to know the way to goal and he hopes that "the goal of winning promotion will be achieved by playing attractive football.

The eagerly anticipated pre season friendly match against Neath Athletic turned into something of a damp squib off the field when Neath sent their Acadamy team to play Pontypridd. All week the club had been anticipating playing Lee Trundle, Keirion O'leary et al only to find that they were to play the Neath Athletic Academy team. Talented though they were club secretary Adrian Dumphy felt that Neath had shown total disrespect to his club and said " Although I did not really expect Trundle to play I thought Neath would have sent a more senior team to play us, with a mix of both senior and academy players. I believe to send just their academy team has been downright disrespectful to Pontypridd Town".

As for the game it turned out to be a very entertaining encounter. The visitors, under the tutelage of former welsh International Peter Nicholas, showed some fine skills and passing ability and even went ahead in the sixth minute when a mix up in the makeshift Pontypridd defence saw them take the lead. From this moment on though the home side continually pressed forward and it was only the fine skills of the Neath 'keeper kept Neath ahead. The scoreline changed after 31 minutes when a brace of goals, in the 31st and 39th minutes, from Will Penekitt put Pontypridd ahead.

The second half was much the same as the first with both teams playing skillful attacking football. Neath managed to grab an equaliser in the 55th minute following yet another mix up in the Pontypridd defence. Then in the 68th minute the referee and his assistant gave a goal by Pontypridd Lewis which was hotly disputed by the visitors and the game finished in a 3-2 win for the Town.

To add insult to injury the Neath players spurned the hospitality on offer by Pontypridd and left the ground imeadiately after the game, which the Town Club Secretary said "compounded their disrespect for our club".

Pontypridd Town begin their competitive fixtures this coming Saturday when they travel to Risca Utd in the First Preliminary round of the Welsh Cup.

Please see below pre-season results:

Pontypridd Town V Bridgetown AFC - Won 4-0
Lewis Town Vs Pontypridd Town - Won 3-0
Sully Sports Vs Pontypridd Town - Won 3-1

Pontypridd Town AFC are pleased to announce the appointment of Rob Ellis as assistant manager.

Rob has a wealth of experience in Welsh football. He managed Taffs Well Amateur League side for several seasons before moving on to manage both Tredegar Town FC and UWIC in the second division of the Welsh League.

Last season Rob was Assistant Manager at Clevedon Town FC in the Southern Premier Division in the English system, before returning back to the Welsh system this year.

Any players interested in training with the Pontypridd Town AFC should contact the club on 08450 556197.

Please find below details of the forthcoming 2010-2011 Pre-season training sessions:

Location:
Hawthorn High School, School Lane, Hawthorn, Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan CF37 5AL,

10.00 - 12.00, Saturday, 3rd July (Grass)
18.45 - 20.45, Monday 5th July
18.45 - 20.45, Thursday 8th July
18.45 - 20.45, Tuesday 13th July
18.45 - 20.45, Tuesday 20th July
18.45 - 20.45, Thursady 29th July
18.45 - 20.45, Thursady 12th August

Pontypridd Town AFC are preparing themselves for a concerted push for promotion from the Welsh League Third Division with the aim of First Division football in three years.

The club requires a trainee or qualified physiotherapist to provide support during training and match day pitch cover, primarily to the first team, although the appointment will benefit the club as a whole.

Contact number for these positions and also for unattached experienced players is 08450 556197.

An Ian Traylor penalty in the 36th minute was enough to claim all the points for table topping Ponty Town against second placed Aberbargoed Buds.

The Buds came to Ynysangharad Park having been beaten only once in the league and with former Cardiff City player John Lewis in charge. Town were aware that their opponents would be well organised and committed.

It soon became apparent that there were not going to be many goals in the match, with both defences in fine form denying opposing forwards any shooting chances. It was going to take a moment of magic and it came from Pontypridd's Geza Hajgato in the 35th minute.

Hajgato received a pass from Traylor some 25 yards out and burst into the Aberbargoed Buds penalty area. As Hajgato prepared to shoot he was clattered by the keeper and a penalty was awarded to the home side.

Pontypridd's top scorer Traylor placed the ball on the spot and shot confidently past the Buds' keeper to put the home side 1-0 ahead.Although few clear chances were created by either side in the second half the visiting Buds had the majority of the ball.

But with new signing from Llantwit Fadre, Josh Evans being ably aided in midfield by Paul Dawes it was definitely a case of quantity but not quality on the visitors behalf. The final whistle was greeted by the home players as a cup final win as this result now takes them seven points clear of their challengers, although the Buds have five games in hand.

Next week the Pontypridd Town travel to another of their rivals for promotion, Goytre on Saturday, March 20

Pontypridd Town travelled to Abertilery Bluebirds with a depleted team that was missing key men Mike Jones, Neil Davies and Geza Hajgato. This Welsh League 3rd Division game needed Ponty to win to remain leaders at the top of the table. Ponty took the lead in the 8th minute after a centre from Danny Street found Ryan Jenkins who neatly placed the ball past the home keeper with consumate ease. Although the Bluebirds pressed hard for an equaliser they found the reshuffled Ponty defence were holding well which enabled them to keep their lead until halftime.

The second half saw the home side maintaining their pressure on the Town but were thwarted twice by Marty Ellacot with brilliant saves that brought applause from both sets of supporters. Ponty manager Allan Davies brought youth team player Ian Wride off the bench for his first team debut and he quickly settled in showing nice touches. After a number of counter attacks Dave Holmes scored Ponty's second and decisive goal when he cleverly chipped the home keeper who he saw comming off his line.

Manager Davies had nothing but adoration for his depleted and reorganised team who came away with a valuable 3 points. This win sets Ponty up for a mouth watering home game with former Cardiff City player John Lewis's team Aberbargoed Buds. The Buds have only lost one game this season and would lead the table by many points if they won their games in hand. The KO is at 2.30 at Ynysangharad Park and the club would like to see as many young,new and old supporters turning up for this very important game.